Power line take off clamp



Dec. 1, 1959 J. A. TOEDTMAN ETAL 2,915,733

POWER LINE TAKE OFF CLAMP Filed Aug. 15, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l m F c 2 Dec. 1, 1959 J. A. TOEDJ'MAN In AL 2,915,733 POWER LINE TAKE OFF CLAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 15, 1955 FIG. 4

FIG.3

Patented Dec. 1, 1959 2,915,533 POWER LINE TAKE OFF CLAMP .lohn A. Toedtinan and Rowland W. Dodson, Jr., St. Louis, Mo., assiguors to Jasper Blackburn Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application August 15, 1955, Serial No. 528,326 9 Claims. (Cl. 339-109) The invention relates to devices for readily connecting a tap wire to an electric power line and comprising a saddle or like member to be seated upon the power line, and a clamping member associated with the saddle, with an independently operable tap wire clamp. One object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive, effective device for the purpose indicated, which is readily applicable to an overhead energized line by a finger clamp on the end of a linemans stick and positioned out of arms reach of the power line.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hot line tapping clamp which will clamp against opposite sides of the energized line and, preferably, separately engage opposite sides of the tap wire rather than the conventional vise type construction which utilizes a single clamping means for both main line and tap wire.

Another object is to complete attachment of a tap wire to the clamp before installation on the main line.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hot line tapping clamp in which the tap wire, if copper, will be attached to a copper stud connector which is externally separated from the aluminum connector body by an insulating washer to minimize galvanic corrosion.

Another object is to eliminate or diminish the likelihood of arcing between parts of the device during its application to the power line.

Another object is to avoid the swinging of the clamp parts from accidental open line-receiving position to a closed position as they are being applied to the power line.

Another object is to assure a firm grip of the linemans clamp stick on the device.

These and other detail objects of the invention will appear from the following description of the device, as illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Figure l is a top view of the device in open position assumed during application to an energized line, the fully clamped position being indicated in broken lines.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the device in the full line position of Figure 1 and showing the mounting of the same on a linemans clamp stick.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the device looking toward the opposite side from that shown in Figure 2 and showing the device fully closed.

Figure 4 is an end view of the device, sectioned in part approximately on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side view of the base part corresponding to Figure 3 and embodying another form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a bottom view of the device shown in Figure 5.

The device as illustrated comprises three main members, an upper saddle 2, a U-bolt 4 and a lower base 5. Saddle 2 forms an elongated downwardly facing jaw concaved transversely of the length of the jaw at 211 and adapted to seat upon a power line L. U-bolt 4 is seated in an upwardly facing groove 2h extending diagonally of the length of saddle 2 and the sides of the groove extend upwardly past the level of the center of the U- v the jaws overlap vertically. Then nut bolt 'cross bar and inwardly to slidably retain the U-bolt in the saddle, as indicated at 20. The U-bolt has depending legs 6 and 7 threaded for nuts 8 and 9, respectively. Nut 8 may be screwed upwardly upon leg 6 to engage a lock washer 10 bearing against the underside of base 5. Nut 9 compresses a spring 11 against the underside of base 5.

The spring automatically thrusts the jaws toward each other into the Figure 4 position, when the jaws are parallel, to grip the conductor line L. The narrow lower jaw is received between the wider upper jaws so that 8 may be tightened by an end wrench to clamp the jaws in the Figure 4 position.

Nut 8 may be backed off from the position shown in Figure 3 so that the lower jaw may be pulled downwardly against the thrust of spring 11 sufiiciently to compress the spring a greater distance than the vertical overlap and to lower the top of the lower jaw below the bottom of the upper jaw, whereupon base 5 may be pivoted about bolt leg 7 to the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 in which the jaws are disposed diagonally of each other and their edges frictionally engage and slide over each other.

The lower member has a laterally opening slot 12 flirough which the U-bolt 6 may move when the members pivot on each other about bolt leg 7.

Base 5 includes a rib-like element 14 spaced laterally from the jaw portion of the base and providing a recess or opening 15 adapted to receive a hook H on the upper end of a linemans clamp stick sleeve S, whereby base 5 may be rotated about U-bolt leg 7 between the positions indicated in solid and broken lines in Figure 1 Preferably rib 14 is provided with a downwardly offset central portion 14a to better seat the rib in the upper end of a sleeve S on the workmans stick.

When the clamp is opened up as shown in Figure l, a lug 20 depending from one side of saddle 2 near U-bolt leg 7 is received in a recess 21 in the opposing edge of groove 5a and engages the outer end of the recess to limit the openingmovement of the parts to the angular position shown in Figure 1.

Depending from the bottom of base 5 is a hollow boss 16 which receives a shank 17, the lower portion of which is threaded and split and provided with a nut 18 and a pressure bar 19 to form clamping means for one or more tap wires W and operable independently of the clamping elements on line L Preferably shank 17 is of copper or brass, with or without plating, being formed separately from the cast aluminum base 5. The shank is shouldered and a washer 22 of insulating material is positioned between the clamp shoulder and the lower end of boss 16, thus avoiding surface electrolysis and corrosion at the joint. An alternate construction would be [to make shank 17 integral with boss 16.

With this construction, the clamp, with a tap wire securely attached, may be opened as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and mounted upon the sleeve S on the upper end of a workmans line stick where it will be retained vby a releasable hook H. The clamp may be raised to a position to overlie and straddle an energized line L and then lowered to seat the saddle on line L. After seating the saddle 2 on the line, the base 5 may be rotated by means of the line stick S into the dotted line position of Figure 1. During the rotation the spring will maintain a pressure contact between the base 5 and the saddle 2.

During rotation, bolt 6 will enter the open side of slot 12 and the jaws will be in parallel with each other and automatically assume the position shown in Figure 4. Hook H is then released and sleeve S removed from the clamp. The workman then uses a socket wrench on'a linemans stick to tighten nut 8 and washer 10 against the lower face of base 5 and, if desired, to tighten nut 9 against the lower end of the base sleeve for bolt 13. Preferably leg 6 may be initially coated with insulating paint to avoid arcing action if the leg and the energized line are accidently contacted as the device is being applied to the line.

When the clamp is closed, shank 17 is intermediate U-bolt legs 6, 7 and is spaced transversely of the base from recess 15. There is clearance between U-bolt nuts 3, 9 and shank nut 18 so that each of these nuts may be readily received in the wrench.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate another form of the invention in which a saddle 32, corresponding to saddle 2 previously described, and a base 35, corresponding to base 5 previously described, are initially assembled by inserting a cap screw 37 freely through an opening in the base and threading it into saddle 32. A spring 38 between the screw head and the bottom of the base thrusts the parts toward each other. A cap screw 39 is passed through base 35 and is initially retained in position by a washer 44 of yielding material. Saddle 32 has a threaded passage 41 to be engaged by screw 39 which initially is backed off as shown at 39a to permit the saddle and base to be rotated angularly as previously described with saddle 2 and base 5.

With this arrangement, the base is mounted on a linemans hook stick, as previously described; the saddle is lowered over a power line; the stick and base are pulled downwardly compressing spring 38; and the base rtated to align its groove .2 with the saddle groove 43 and the stick released. Spring 38 thrusts the parts into contact with the line. Screw 39 is then threaded into passage 41 and clamps the parts together. A tapered entrance leading to threaded passage 41 facilitates the entrance of the screw into the passage.

A compressible sleeve 45 depends from base 35 and may be formed integrally therewith and inserted into the boss 36 on the bottom of the base. A tap wire W may be inserted in sleeve 45 before application of the clamp to the power line and the sleeve may then be collapsed or crimped about the tap wire in a well known manner by a suitable hand compression tool.

It will be understood that either type of connection for the tap wire may be used on either of the bases or 35.

With either form of the invention, the tap wire is secured to the base, the clamp opened, the device raised by a linemans stick, and the saddle lowered over the power line, the base rotated into clamping position and released, and the line tightly gripped automatically without any nut manipulation by the operator. The stick is then removed and a socket wrench is applied to the nuts or bolt head and the device clamped more securely. This operation is effected without dislodging any of the parts from the power line and creating arcing effects with destructive pitting, etc.

The details of the structure may be varied Without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exelusive use of those modifications coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wire connecting device, a saddle with a downwardly-facing, wire-receiving groove, 21 U-oolt straddling the top of said saddle with threaded legs depending at the sides thereof, a base below said saddle and provided with an upwardly-facing, wire-receiving groove opposing said saddle groove, said base having spaced apertnres receiving the legs of the U-bolt, one of said apertures having an open side to receive the corresponding bolt leg transversely, said base having a lateral extension forming a ring rigid with the base for receiving a hook-like clamp on the end of a linemans stick, whereby the base may be swung about one of the U-bolt legs as a pivot to move the other U-bolt leg through the base aperture open side.

2. A wire connecting device according to claim 1 in which a rigid post is rigidly secured to and depends from the base and includes a wire clamp, said post being positioned intermediate the base apertures and spaced laterally from the lateral extension on the base and the ring formed thereby.

3. A wire connecting device according to claim 1 in which a portion of the lateral extension is offset downwardly to project into an open-ended sleeve on a linemans clamp stick.

4. In a wire connecting device, a saddle-like upper member forming an elongated jaw having a lower face concaved transversely of the length of the jaw and having substantially horizontal side edges, a lower member forming an elongated jaw having an upper face concaved transversely of the length of the jaw and having substantially horizontal side edges one of said jaws being receivable between the sides of the other jaw, an upright pivot element mounted on one member and along which at least one of the members may slide to and from the other member and about which at least one member may swing horizontally relative to the other member into a position in which the jaws are parallel and overlap vertically and into a position in which the jaws are disposed angularly to each other with their respective jaw faces slidably engaging each other, an upright bolt element mounted on one of said jaws and passing through the other of said jaws and provided with a nut whereby the jaws when parallel may be positively moved toward each other and clamp a wire conductor between said faces, a nut on said pivot element and an upright coil spring surrounding said pivot element and compressed between said nut and one of the members and elongated sufficiently to be compressible a greater distance than the vertical overlap of the jaws in clamping position so that the jaw edges are maintained in frictional contact when they are disposed angularly of each other and are automatically thrust into conductor-wire gripping relation when the jaws are parallel to each other.

5. In a wire connecting device, a saddle-like upper member forming an elongated jaw having a lower face concaved transversely of the length of the jaw and having substantially horizontal side edges, a lower member forming an elongated jaw having an upper face concaved transversely of the length of the jaw and having substantially horizontal side edges, the over-all width across the side edges of one of said jaws being less than the inside width of the recess between the side edges of the other of said jaws, an upright pivot element mounted on one member and along which at least one of the members may slide to and from the other member when the jaws are parallel to receive one jaw between the side edges of the other jaw, to clamp a wire conductor between said faces, upright bolt means mounted on one of said jaws and passing through the other of said jaws and provided with thread and nut structure whereby the jaws when parallel may be positively moved toward each other and clamp a wire conductor between said faces, a vertically elongated compression spring associated with the pivot element and engaging one of said members adjacent said pivot elements and thrusting said members toward each other, said bottom member having a part engageable by a linemans hooked stick to be pulled downwardly against the thrust of said spring to permit relative rotation and disalignment of said jaws and a tap wire clamp projecting downwardly from the bottom of said lower member and spaced from said jaw faces for attaching a tap wire independently of said upper member.

6. A wire connecting device according to claim 4 in which the pivot element and the bolt element are spaced legs of a U-bolt overlying and fixed to the saddle-like upper member and both of the U-bolt legs extending downwardly through the lower member at opposite sides of the upper member jaw.

7. A wire connecting device according to claim 6 in which the lower member has a laterally opening slot into and out of which one of the U-bolt legs may move horizontally as the member swings about the other U-bolt leg forming the pivot element.

8. A wire connecting device according to claim 4 in which the pivot element is mounted on one member near one end and at one side of its jaw and the bolt element is at the other end of the member and at the opposite side of the jaw.

9. A wire connecting device according to claim 4 in which one of the jaw edges has a vertical projection spaced from the other jaw, when the jaws are parallel, but engaging the latter jaw when the members are swung horizontally from said parallel position and thereby limit the angular movement of the jaws away from parallel position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,949,646 Dibner Mar. 6, 1934 2,077,613 Bondeson Apr. 20, 1937 2,228,824 Hermann Jan. 14, 1941 2,391,428 Link Dec. 25, 1945 2,566,724 Hoadley Sept. 4, 1951 2,698,422 Turner Dec. 28, 1954 OTHER REFERENCES Elektrotechnische Zeitschrift, February 28, 1935, page 

